Missing girl located, sex offender in custody

Published: Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 01:37 PM.

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BEAUFORT — The investigation into the abduction of a Carteret County girl continued Wednesday on several fronts.

Search efforts focused on the Southeast coast as information continued to show that Timothy Howard Newman, 38, a registered sex offender, may be traveling south with 12-year-old Abigale Lefevers, who was last seen at her home in the Bogue community along N.C. 24 Sunday night.

The Carteret County Sheriff’s Office issued a wanted poster Wednesday that indicated that the latest information suggests they may be traveling from South Carolina to Florida. They are believed to be in a red, two-door Chrysler Sebring convertible with North Carolina registration AKT-6534.

BEAUFORT — A 12-year-old Carteret County girl is safe and her alleged abductor in custody in Florida, bringing the third day of the search for the two to a close with good news.

Investigators with the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Wednesday evening that they had received verbal confirmation from the Hallandale Beach Police Department in Broward County, Fla. that Abigaile Lefevers had been located.

A news release from the sheriff’s office said Abigaile was safe with police and that Newman had been taken into custody without incident.

Carteret County authorities had an arrest warrant for Newman for child abduction.

An Amber Alert was issued Monday for information about the alleged abduction and search efforts had focused on the Southeast coast as information continued to show that Newman, 38, a registered sex offender, was likely traveling south with Abigaile.

The red Chrysler Sebring convertible they were traveling in was spotted by officers in Florida, who spotted the car near a Denny’s restaurant on South Dixie Highway near Interstate 95.

An investigation into Abigaile’s disappearance began Monday after her father reported her missing.

Robert Lefevers spent the day with her daughter at their home Sunday and he last saw her that night about 10 p.m. When he awoke the next morning at around 6:25 a.m. she was gone.

Newman, who was also lives in the Bogue community, was also gone from his residence and did not report for work.

Authorities said Newman had been in contact with Abigale several times prior to her disappearance.

As investigators followed leads from possible sightings of the two as they moved south, they also worked leads in Carteret County.

The investigation included a search of Newman’s home.

Capt. Jason Wank, chief detective for the sheriff’s confirmed the search Wednesday but did not say what items were seized.

Due to Newman being on probation, he is subject to warrantless searches and seizures. Consent to search the residence was also provided by the roommate for the roommate’s areas of the home, Wank said.

Newman, who was placed on the sex offender registry is 2005 for convictions in connection with two counts of engaging in a sex offense with a 14-year-old girl in 2003 in Stokes County, is also on probation for a 2009 offense related to a networking website violation, according to N.C. Department of Correction information.

Lefevers said Newman is an acquaintance he met 12 years ago but he did not know he had apparently been texting his daughter.

He said he has family in Carteret County and has been visiting the area for years. He said they moved to area five months ago for a “fresh start” after the death of Abigaile’s mother.

The Carteret County Sheriff's Department is reporting that they received verbal confirmation from the Hallandale Beach Police Department in Broward County, Florida that Newman has been taken into custody and Abigaile Lefevers is safe with police.

Newman’s vehicle was spotted by officers who stopped the car near a Denny’s Restaurant on South Dixie Highway near Interstate 95. Newman was taken into custody without incident.

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Updated at 5:52 p.m.

BEAUFORT — The investigation into the abduction of a Carteret County girl continued Wednesday on several fronts.

Search efforts focused on the Southeast coast as information continued to show that Timothy Howard Newman, 38, a registered sex offender, may be traveling south with 12-year-old Abigale Lefevers, who was last seen at her home in the Bogue community along N.C. 24 Sunday night.

The Carteret County Sheriff’s Office issued a wanted poster Wednesday that indicated that the latest information suggests they may be traveling from South Carolina to Florida. They are believed to be in a red, two-door Chrysler Sebring convertible with North Carolina registration AKT-6534.

In Carteret County, investigators have searched Newman’s residence.

Capt. Jason Wank, chief detective for the sheriff’s confirmed the search but did not say what items have been seized.

Due to Newman being on probation for a networking website violation, he is subject to warrantless searches and seizures. Consent to search the residence was also provided by the roommate for the roommate’s areas of the home, Wank said.

An arrest warrant has been filed for Newman, who was placed on the sex offender registry is 2005 for convictions in connection with two counts of engaging in a sex offense with a 14-year-old girl in 2003 in Stokes County.

Newman has been charged with child abduction.

An investigation into Abigale’s disappearance began Monday after her father reported her missing.

Robert Lefevers spent the day with his daughter at their home Sunday and he last saw her that night about 10 p.m. When he awoke the next morning at around 6:25 a.m. she was gone.

Newman, who also lives in the Bogue community, was also gone from his residence and did not report for work.

Authorities said Newman had been in contact with Abigale several times prior to her disappearance.

Lefevers said Newman is an acquaintance who lived across the street from Lefevers’ mother and that’s how they met 12 years ago. Lefevers said he did not know Newman had apparently been texting his daughter.

He said he has family in Carteret County and has been visiting the area for years. He said they moved to area five months ago for a “fresh start” after the death of Abigale’s mother.

An Amber Alert remains active for Abigale, who is 5-feet, 4-inches tall and weighs about 90 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing black Nike shoes with pink lace and stripe and carrying a pink backpack with a peace sign.

Newman is a white male about 5-feet, 8-inches tall and 210 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information is asked to call their local law enforcement agency or 252-504-4800 or 252-726-1911.

A sex offender accused of abducting a 12-year-old girl from Carteret County is believed to be traveling south from South Carolina to Florida.

Timothy Howard Newman, 38, is accused of abducting Abigail Lefevers. They are believed to be traveling in a 1998 red, two-door Chrysler Sebring with black convertible top. The license tag is AKT-6534.

Newman is described as a white male, 5-feet-9-inches tall, 250 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes, according to authorities.

An arrest warrant has been filed for Newman, who was placed on the sex offender registry is 2005 for convictions in connection with two counts of engaging in a sex offense with a 14-year-old girl in 2003 in Stokes County.